Among his ideas: Bring zero-based budgeting to City Hall. “I would look at each department and start at zero and see what they need versus this is what we started with last year and we’re going to put some percentage increase on it,” he said.

Across the board cuts aren’t leadership, he said.

Curry said the city needs to evaluate its priorities and then see how they can be executed. “Technology is changing rapidly -- the world is changing rapidly -- and technology affects every business,” he said.

Resources that promote job growth will impact other efforts, said Curry, issues important to Jacksonville like crime and education.

“There’s a number of people who work in Jacksonville that live outside of our county because they’re concerned about either crime or school system or a combination thereof,” said Curry, adding that that issue can cause the city of Jacksonville to lose an important tax base.

But unlike Brown, who moved early in his term to appoint a "chief education officer," Curry said that sphere belongs to Duval County School Superintendent Nikolai Vitti. “I don’t think the mayor should be playing in his space — a mayor should be a partner and an advocate and that’s more than just a photo op.”